Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-15
SHARP SENTENCED.
The Elk Railway King 10 be Confined
Four Years at Hard Labor and
Psy a Fine OF $1,000.
The Crime an Enormous Onc-No Plea Cor
Mercy Except on tho score of
Feeble Hsulih and Old Ago.
JACOB SHARP SENTENCED a..

Jacob Sharp was sentenced for four ye2, 8
Imprisonment and TO pay fine Of $4,000.
It was II 80 O'Clock when Sharp's car
rage drove sway from the jail, and Just
7 twenty minutes later it stopped be-
fore the county courthouse. The party
alighted and passed through g line made
for them by the police through the wait
Ing crowd Of curious spectators to the
sherif's Office and thence 70 the court
room. Mr. Sharp Wa8 so weak that in
going to the carriage to the jail it was
necessary for the officers guarding to
support his totteriug form.
Judge Barrett, whose illness yesterday
compelled the pos,ponemeGt OF sentence
of tie convicted man, had recovered
sufficiently to-day to be present in
court. The clock was indicating almost
noon when Sharp was carried into the
/ court room, His suffering wife and SON
in-laR were close behind hin, and deep
4 lines OF WEAKNESS and sorrow OversDread
/ their faces As they seated themselves be
! side the convicted man. His grandson
I took the same seat ne occupied during the
( long Trial, and Lawyers Nelson, StiCkucy
and Parsons seated themselves on the
right Of their client, opposite his vile ard
/ relatives. Slarp sat with clasped hands
and bowed head 1t the foot Ct the
table. facing the bench. His face,
almost buried in his chest, became
/ flushed and 5iCkiY looking under the
rlvited gaze Of all present who we're
silently staring st the convicted railroad
/ king The excitement became quite
/ fcverish, when sudden hush Cgme over
/ the room 2s three rapS On the door an
uOunCed the entrance OF Judge Barrett 1T
exactly I2:lj o'clock. after calling the
court Mr. MARITIME got UD and stated that
as re heard the defense hld some re
marks 90 make he wished 10 hesr them.
Mr.. Mitchell responded, saying that nc
had 10 application 70 put in Tor delay,
but would move for . new trial and
wished the sselograpa@r % make note
OF The fact. JUtgG Barrett ss.d that
if the document contained nothing new
he would deny the application for new
I trial. Air Mitchell Lhel. IeRd the paper,
stating mat the trial WIS unfIiril sever
al ways. Tie jury was preiE need
against his client and Esve &a uafsir yer
die. Moreover ne judges cdsrg; was
en- unjust one. JU5ge Barrett said nat
nc motion would 1e Denied.
III District Attorney tim stood Up 20
move the court 10 sentence the prisoner.
IL stated be considered It his duty to
ask .hs court - appoint physicians TO
look into the prisoners condition OF
health, and read some Cer-
tihcates from Drs. Mitchell and
Jantw3y 20 the effect That
the prisoners Eealth was very bad and
that he YVES sufe.i~g from diAbe.es, IL
tlAEnngtiOn Of the Kidneys ald organic
disease Of the heart which we're Of serious
import to a mGn OF seventy SyeGrs. lie
then read Dr HamIttCa's report on cor
dition IF Sing Sing end the arrangements
for the CATe Of the sick WalCh he said
were OF excellent character all around
and the piece was most haalthly situated.
'Ia view # these fzcts," continued Mr..
MARITIME, 'There is nothing Ief, for me to
do cat to move for the sentence Of the
prisoner"
Mr.. Mitchell then stood up to make a
last appeal. lie said he did not wish to
delay the court, bu. would ask the jadge
TO temper Justice with mercy.
judge Barrett then proceeded TO de-
liver the sentence He said that he ned
never performed so delicate q task II his
whole professional career. He had re-
ceived many letters from many people
pleading mercy and otherwise, but the
court YVES not appointed 10 be merc:iul
any more than was dictated by the laws
Of Justice. The Judge is appointed to
award penalty IN accordance 20 the Of
Tense Wnen al tIa circumstances con
uuCtel with the commission Of the Of
Tense have been duly weighed and
considered. The defendant here is ask |
ing for mercy. lie can give nothing
as plea fer clemeacy bu. age and sick
ness. On the merits OF me case he GER |
tainly is emitted 10 none. Il is absurd 20 !
state that he was not guilty of giving /
brites, as he was Enthusiastically the leader /
Of the whole affair We have not heTe,as |
in the case Of the aldermen, any attempt |
to prove the Defendants Q cd character. |
The crime itself was an enormous one; /
the raising of 81 ,Oc0, 600 to corrupt hsli |
the legislature Judge Barrett reviewed |
the corrupt action Of the defendant In |
forming q bogus company to contract /
with the Seventh Avenue Railway, Of /
which he was director. and referred /
to the Defendants securing $1,000 GOO |
If profit as sheer larceny, for which he /
could have been indicted Just IS well as
for bribery. "What is there 10 excite |
ply CT mercy except the age and i'll /
health Of the prisoner, and the mourning |
condition Of his tamIly2 With over |
$I,000,OO0 in his pockets he ciam0rs for !
mercy without Offering 70 pay bsck
penny Of the money slOler,so that should |
ne die 10 his prison his family has a for |
tune TO tslI back upon"
At this Mrs. Shsrp buried her face in /
her handkerchief end went silently, /
while The prisoner himself did net lift ri
face from the table.
"The Legislature does rot allow US to /
60 below the minimum penalty in such /
crave offonse is the present is" con |
tirued Judge Barrett. "Ail can not be /
satisfied, those who clsmor for the pris- I
oner's receiving the full penalty CT the /
law ard those calling Tor reprimsnd. All /
things hsva been considered, and the /
Judgment Of this court is tlat the prisoner .
be confined four years at hard labor, end .
that ne pay q fine of SJC0O.'
An attempt st applause was made in /
one corner OF the court as the sentence .
wss pronounced, bur i vas quickly sup /
pressed.
As some Of the spectators moved out /
OF the court room Alr. Mitchell stood up
TO ask for delay of the removal 10 Sing
Sing until he settled some afairs in the